EARLY ROME THE MYTH OF ROME

Transcription

1 EARLY ROME THE BIRTH OF REPUBLIC THE MYTH OF ROME Virgil s AENEAD Aeneas and the Trojans Lieutenant to Hector Son of Aphrodite (Venus) CARTHAGE Queen Dido Settled in LATIUM in Central Italy 1

2 Peoples of early Italy THE FOUNDATION Romulus and Remus Child of MARS and Rhea Silvia Rhea Silvia descended from Aeneas Official foundation: April 21st 753 BC Romulus first KING 2

3 ARCHAEOLOGICAL ROME Indo-European Latin people: Origins in central Europe Settled in central Italy, ca BC Neighbors included other Italic peoples (e.g. Sabines) Etruscans to the North Greeks to the South Village organization small city states THE FOUNDATION Latins settled on the river TIBER ca. 9th century BC 7 neighboring hills originally multiple villages Recent archaeology evidence of city walls around the 7 hills ca. mid 8th Century BC Same place, date as in LEGEND 3

4 WHO WERE THE ROMANS? Romans = Latins Sabines and other Italic peoples Etruscans Bound together by : Shared origin myth Latin language = Indo-European, Italic Shared Culture merging of Latin, Greek and Etruscan cultures THE ROMAN KINGDOM BC In legend only 7 kings Romulus: 1st L. Tarquinius Superbus: 7th and last King (Rex) Head of state and government, military, religion Elected by the people Supreme power IMPERIUM 4

5 ADVISORY BODIES Senate Legitimate, wealthy, noble males 100 (heads of noble families) Proposed new king Curiate Assembly (Comitia Curitiae) Open to all PATRICIANS Divided into 30 curiae (10 for each of 3 tribes) Elected king ROMAN CITIZENS Free born males Two classes Based on ancestry Not allowed to intermarry PATRICIANS Descended from First Senate Noble, powerful Public office-holders PLEBEIANS All other freemen: farmers, artisans The rabble, mob Mass action 5

6 OTHER CLASSES Women took social class of father / husband Foreigners Latins vs others Free-born vs others Freedmen Slaves Debt, spoils of war, birth THE LAST KING Etruscan nobles dominated TARQUINIUS SUPERBUS Etruscan origin Violent, impious Rape of Lucretia Expelled 510 BC 6

7 The Rape of Lucretia Titian, ca SPQR Founded 509 BC Checks and Balances Loyalty to FAMILY and STATE Mixed government: Assemblies + Senate + Magistrates Legislative + Deliberative + Executive Democracy + Oligarchic + Monarchic 7

8 ASSEMBLIES THE PEOPLE Ultimate legislative and judicial power Elected magistrates Oversaw trials, last court of appeal Voted yes/no on laws Could not propose laws Could reject laws including going to war FOUR ASSEMBLIES CURIATA and CALATA Patricians only Limited powers reduced over time CENTURIATE and TRIBAL All citizens Divided into voting blocs by class or tribe Elected magistrates Passed laws Oversaw justice 8

9 PLEBEIAN COUNCIL Elected PLEBEIAN TRIBUNE Enacted laws Plebiscites Power of Veto Grew in power DOMINANT LEGISLATIVE POWER THE SENATE Council of Elders (senex = old man) 300 and later to ~600+ Patricians and (later) rich Plebeians Ex-magistrates or appointed by Censors Conducted foreign policy Controlled all funds Appointed governors and other officials Could declare martial law Could propose laws 9

10 MAGISTRATES Executive and Judicial powers Two characteristics Collegiality One or more colleagues Limits 1 year terms No consecutive terms CURSUS HONORUM 10 years MILITARY SERVICE Junior Magistracies: Elected by the Tribal Assembly Quaestors, Aediles Led to a seat in the SENATE PRAETORS Elected by the Centuriate Assembly Administered JUSTICE Urban Praetor was Chief Justice 10

11 CONSULS Elected by the Centuriate Assembly Initially only Patricians; later either 2 consuls, each could veto the other 10 years between terms Commander in Chief of Armed Forces Chaired Senate Supreme judicial power Oversaw the most important provinces Oversaw domestic and foreign policy Other POSITIONS PROPRAETORIAN and PROCONSULAR GOVERNORS Appointed by the Senate Administered provinces (civilian and military) Headed the army in their province CENSOR Elected by the Centuriate Assembly Could add or remove Senators 11

12 THE ROMAN MILITARY Every male property owning citizen Service was for 16 years Infantry and Cavalry Brutal but effective discipline Strong personal loyalty to generals EXPANSION FEAR or AMBITION? 387 Gauls invade and sack Rome 264 Controls all of Italian peninsula First Punic War Second Punic War Macedonian Wars Conquest of Spain 149 Conquest of Greece Third Punic War 12

13 13